Story perspectives

Delhi High Court allows CJP leaders to withdraw custody challenge

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 10:33 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The Delhi High Court permitted CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka to withdraw their petition challenging a custody extension.
The bench warned that breaking the police barricade could encourage 10-20 others to violate Section 163 of the BNSS.
They had been detained after trespassing the de-notified Jantar Mantar site on October 13.
Justice Subramonium Prasad advised seeking a revision instead of an Article 226 writ and rejected their surety.

History

Historical Context

During the 1975-77 Emergency, Indira Gandhi’s government invoked the Maintenance of Internal Security Act and the Supreme Court, in a 4-1 majority (ADM Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla, 1976), suspended habeas-corpus rights, a view opposed by Justice Hans Raj Khanna. The ruling was later overturned by the 2017 Puttaswamy decision, yet its legacy resurfaces as Delhi courts hear new protest-law petitions.

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Story summary

The Delhi High Court permitted CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka to withdraw their petition challenging a custody extension.
The bench warned that breaking the police barricade could encourage 10-20 others to violate Section 163 of the BNSS.
They had been detained after trespassing the de-notified Jantar Mantar site on October 13.
Justice Subramonium Prasad advised seeking a revision instead of an Article 226 writ and rejected their surety.

1 / 2